Man sought after attempted kidnapping at laundromat

Police are looking for a man suspected of attempting to kidnap a woman while using a knife at the Granny’s Wash & Dry laundromat downtown, according to Hollister police.

At about 9:20 pm, the Hollister Police Department received a reported call of a man with a knife at Granny’s Wash & Dry Laundromat, 221 San Benito Street. Officers arrived and met a female victim and one witness.

“The victim reported a man approached her while she was in the Laundromat,” according to a statement. “He had a large knife and he ordered her to go with him. The woman pleaded with the man not to harm her and told him her husband was on his way to pick her up. The suspect hid the knife and left on foot northbound on San Benito Street.”

Police said the victim said she had seen the suspect in the area earlier driving a small, black car.

The suspect is described as a Hispanic male adult, 20 to 25 years old, with a dark complexion, standing about 5-foot-8, wearing a black beanie hat with a multi-color band toward the bottom edge of the beanie. He was unshaven and wearing a black hooded jacket, a multi-color scarf around his neck and dark-colored pants.

The Hollister Police Department noted it would like anyone who sees a man matching the description to call 911. The suspect is considered armed and dangerous.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is requested to call Officer Matt Weiss at (831) 636-4330. People wishing to remain anonymous can call WeTIP at (800) 78-CRIME. Information provided to WeTip may result in an award of up to $1,000.